Minnesota Landscape Architects to Promote Active Living at New City School, Exhibit at the State Capitol

2005-04-12

Minneapolis, Minnesota, April 11, 2005—Members of the Minnesota
Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) will celebrate
National Landscape Architecture Month by collaborating with a charter school on
innovative ideas for its schoolyard and assessing the walkability and
bikeability of its neighborhood. They will end the month with an exhibit in the
Minnesota State Capitol building highlighting the work of landscape architects
and recognizing the building’s 100th anniversary.

The theme for National Landscape Architecture Month is Design for Active
Living, highlighting ways community design affects residents’ daily
activity levels and, in turn, their overall health. Studies show that access to
resources such as parks, recreational facilities, bicycle paths, walking trails,
and sidewalks can increase physical activity among residents, lowering obesity
and improving health.

April 16, 8:00 am-5:00 pm: Design Charette for New City
School, 229 13th Avenue NE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55413. Minnesota
ASLA Chapter members will collaborate with New City School in a day-long
“charette”—an intense design jam session—to assist the school in developing
innovative ideas for its schoolyard and assessing the walkability and
bikeability of its neighborhood. Located in northeast Minneapolis, New City
School is a public charter school in its second year of operation. It recognizes
the importance of a well-designed learning environment to its mission, and the
school is excited about the prospect of the charette. For more information on
the charette, please contact Michael Jischke, ASLA, at 763-475-0010 or mjischke@srfconsulting.com.

April 24–30, Exhibit at the Minnesota State Capitol Building, North
Corridor. Minnesota ASLA Chapter members will be promoting the
profession and recognizing the work of members with an exhibit for legislators,
their staff, and the general public. The display will highlight the unique
skills that landscape architects can offer, recent award winners, valued places
in Minnesota, the upcoming 2006 national convention to be held in Minneapolis,
and will recognize the Capitol Building’s 100th Anniversary.

“Years ago, we all used to walk to school, to the store, to the park, or to a
friend’s house, but now we often are unable to walk or bike anywhere safely,
because our communities are designed mainly for car travel,” said John Slack,
ASLA, president of the Minnesota chapter of the ASLA. “The change from a
pedestrian to a commuter lifestyle has fueled an epidemic of obesity in the
U.S., particularly among children. As landscape architects, working with public
officials, developers, and residents, we can design active living components
back into our communities. We want to encourage everyone to look at their
communities during April and become advocates for an environment that is more
exercise-friendly."

For more information on supporting or participating in the Minnesota ASLA
Chapter activities, please contact chapter National Landscape Architecture Month
coordinator Michael Jischke, ASLA, at 763-475-0010 or mjischke@srfconsulting.com.

Founded in 1899, ASLA is the national professional association for landscape
architects representing 15,000 members. Landscape architecture is a
comprehensive discipline of land analysis, planning, design, management,
preservation, and rehabilitation. ASLA promotes the landscape architecture
profession and advances the practice through advocacy, education, communication,
and fellowship. Learn more about landscape architecture online at www.asla.org and www.masla.org.